SVFRA donates fire truck to Mexican city

Officials representing the Sonoma Valley Fire & Rescue Authority and the Sonoma Sister Cities Association on Friday, Aug. 21, donated a firetruck to the city of Ecuandureo, Michoacan, in Mexico. 

The truck, a 1987 Mack fire engine with 87,000 miles on it, can carry 1,000 gallons of water and seven firefighters. Rigoberto Castillo, representing the federation of people of Michoacan, said the truck will service a part of Mexico that has 21 villages and about 13,000 people – an area that currently has no firetrucks.

Sonoma Valley Fire Chief Mark Freeman said he remembered when the big red truck arrived brand new in Sonoma. “It was the pride of the fleet,” he said. “It replaced a 1964 open cab truck.” The department received new trucks last year.

Ecuandureo Mayor Jesus Infante was expected to be in Sonoma to take possession of the truck but a death in his family prevented him from coming at the last minute. 

Patrick Garcia of the Sonoma Sister Cities Association organized the transfer and invited all the participants to snacks and toasts after the truck was inspected.